1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a navigation device and a navigation method, which display a route from a present position of a vehicle to a destination and guide the vehicle to the destination.
2. Description of the Related Art
A navigation device is provided with a display screen which is opened as required by a driver or is opened automatically when guiding a route or the device may be provided with a display screen which is used when setting a route.
In particular, JP-A-9-133541 discloses a technique by which intersections at which the vehicle turns to the left or the right (hereafter turning points) on a guided route are detected and a plurality of such turning point intersection names are displayed on a display screen.
Furthermore, JP-A-6-68386 discloses a technique by which when a vehicle is travelling on a route, a subsequent intersection through which the vehicle will pass is detected and a name of the intersection is displayed on a display screen.
Since the conventional navigation device is constructed as above, the problem has arisen that although the name of intersection through which the vehicle will subsequently pass is displayed on a display screen, even if a user recognizes the name of a subsequent intersection, it is not possible to determine how many intersections ahead the turning point intersection is located and thus it is not possible to easily understand the route.
The present invention is proposed to solve the above problems and has the object of providing a navigation device and a navigation method which can clearly display turning point intersections and thus facilitate the route recognition.
A navigation device of the present invention is adapted to display the name of intersections extracted by a route guiding means and the distance to the intersections while displaying a route searched by a route searching means.
In such a way, route recognition is facilitated and it is possible to take precautions to prevent divergence from the route.
The navigation device of the present invention may be adapted to confirm passage of the intersection by the vehicle and to give a change command with respect to the intersection to be displayed to the display means.
In such a way, it is possible to ensure recognition of only the forward turning point intersections from the present position.
The navigation device of the present invention may be adapted to display a direction of travel at an intersection when the intersection extracted from the route guiding means is a turning point intersection.
In such a way, immediate recognition is enabled of at which forward intersection turning should be performed from the present position and thus the direction of travel can be varied at ease.
The navigation device of the present invention may be adapted to display an intersection with emphasis when the intersection extracted by the route guiding means is a turning point intersection.
In such a way, immediate recognition is enabled of at which forward intersection turning should be performed from the present position and thus the direction of travel can be varied at ease.
The navigation device of the present invention may be adapted to display a fact of a non-recordal of an intersection name when the name of the intersection extracted by the route guiding means is not recorded on a map information.
In such a way, it is possible to prevent missing a small intersection the name of which is not recorded.
The navigation device of the present invention may be adapted to generate a temporary name of an intersection from information linked to the intersection and to display the temporary name, when the name of the intersection extracted by the route guiding means is not recorded on a map information.
In such a way, it is possible to prevent missing a small intersection the name of which is not recorded.
The navigation device of the present invention may be adapted to display a landmark or a traffic signal mark together with the name of an intersection when information relating to the landmark or the traffic signal mark which is related to the intersection extracted by the route guiding means is recorded on a map information.
In such a way, it is possible to facilitate intersection discrimination.
The navigation device of the present invention may be adapted to display intersections at points of traffic congestion with emphasis when traffic congestion information with respect to the route searched by the route searching means is received.
In such a way, it is possible to recognize traffic congestion on a scheduled route.
A navigation method of the present invention is adapted to display the name of each of intersections existing on a route from a present point of a vehicle to a destination and the distance to each of the intersections, while displaying the route.
In such a way, route recognition is facilitated and it is possible to take precautions to prevent divergence from the route.
The navigation method of the present invention may be adapted to change an intersection to be displayed upon the confirmation of the vehicle passing through the intersection.
In such a way, it is possible to ensure recognition of only intersections which exist on the route forward of the present position.
The navigation method of the present invention may be adapted to display a direction of travel at an intersection when the intersection existing on the route is a turning point intersection.
In such a way, immediate recognition is enabled of at which forward intersection turning should be performed from the present position and thus the direction of travel can be changed with ease.
The navigation method of the present invention may be adapted to display an intersection with emphasis when the intersection existing on the route is a turning point intersection.
In such a way, immediate recognition is enabled of at which forward intersection turning should be performed from the present position and thus the direction of travel can be changed with ease.
The navigation method of the present invention may be adapted to display a fact of a non-recordal of an intersection name when the name of the intersection existing on the route is not recorded on a map information.
In such a way, it is possible to prevent missing a small intersection the name of which is not recorded.
The navigation method of the present invention may be adapted to generate a temporary name of an intersection from information related to the intersection and to display that temporary name, when the name of the intersection existing on the route is not recorded on a map information.
In such a way, it is possible to prevent missing a small intersection the name of which is not recorded.
The navigation method of the present invention may be adapted to display a landmark or a traffic signal mark together with the name of an intersection when information relating to the landmark or the traffic signal mark which is related to the intersection existing on the route is recorded on a map information.
In such a way, it is possible to facilitate intersection discrimination.
The navigation method of the present invention may be adapted to display intersections at points of congestion with emphasis when traffic congestion information with respect to the searched route is received.
In such a way, it is possible to recognize traffic congestion on a scheduled route.